


Oh, Baby

by StellaBGibson



Category: The Fall (TV 2013), The X-Files
Genre: F/F, F/M, Pregnancy, Unplanned Pregnancy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-09
Updated: 2021-01-10
Packaged: 2021-03-12 21:00:56
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,797
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28641879
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StellaBGibson/pseuds/StellaBGibson
Summary: After returning home from Belfast Stella discovers she’s returned with more than she bargained for
Relationships: Stella Gibson/Dana Scully, Tom Anderson/Stella Gibson
Comments: 8
Kudos: 59





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Okay well I have no idea where this came from. There might be more. There might not be.   
> If there is I can almost guarantee that I’ll find a way to include Scully

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Also, for the sake of this, Spector is alive & well

Stella’s stomach churned and tears burned her eyes as she stared down at the selection of plastic sticks in her bathroom sink. 

“Fuck!”

Pregnant. 

All six of the tests showed variations of the same positive result. 

She let out the sob she’d been holding in since she got home.It wasn’t that she was upset that she was pregnant, she’d never thought of herself as a mother. 

No. She wasn’t upset. Just frustrated. It was the worst possible timing. That’s what it came down to, she decided later that night. 

In bed with a cup of tea, she allowed herself to think about it for the first time since she’d left the bathroom.

The thought of being solely responsible for the life of a child terrified her, but she knew that wasn’t uncommon and it was something that like it or not, she would come to terms with. 

If her calculations were correct, she’d conceived in Belfast. Meaning that the father was either James Olson - which wasn’t ideal at all - or Tom Anderson - which was somehow even less ideal. 

Did she even want to know? If so she’d have to either look into the dangers of testing during pregnancy, or wait the long months until the baby was born. 

What if it was Anderson’s? By the time she would be back in Belfast for the trial it would be near impossible to hide. She had strong stomach muscles due to her swimming but overall she was a petite woman. It wouldn’t take long for it to become obvious that she was with child. 

It was highly likely that as soon as she turned up in Belfast with a baby bump, Ned Callan and the rest of the vultures they called press would be all over it. It was easy enough to do the maths and somehow she didn’t think they’d buy it if she tried to convince them she’d already been pregnant when she arrived in Belfast the first time. 

She knew there would be speculation either way, but did she really want to add to that with Anderson’s incessant questioning whether or not it was his baby. 

No. No she didn’t. She knew that already. 

With a sigh she grabbed a notepad from her nearby bag and started a to do list. 

  1. Phone her GP to have the pregnancy confirmed and dated 
  2. Research paternity testing during pregnancy



Number three would be to decide what the fuck she was going to tell Anderson if it turned out to be his baby. 

If it was Olson’s she would keep that information to herself. There was no need to rub that news into his widow’s face. Not only had he spent his last night alive in her bed, with her scratches on his back, but now she was carrying his child too.

As she gave up on the list and finished her tea she sighed. Her mind was stuck on what Anderson would do. What did she want him to do?

She knew immediately that she did not want to play happy families with him. She would co-parent with him if that was what he wanted. Though she wasn’t sure if part of her wouldn’t rather just do it on her own. It was how she did everything else in life so why should this be different. 

Because this is a baby. This wasn’t just a dip in her emotional or mental stability after a rough case.This was a living, breathing being that would depend on her for the rest of their lives.

She owed it to them to be the best mother possible, even if that meant spending every other weekend allowing bonding time with Tom fucking Anderson until the baby was old enough and Tom was comfortable enough to cope with an overnight stay. At which point she would spend every other weekend delivering the child to Tom only to spend forty eight hours worrying about them until the baby was in her home again. 

With another sign she ran a hand through her hair and settled against her pillows, reaching over to switch off the light. 

She’d had enough thinking for one day. She’d deal with the rest tomorrow.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is weirdly easy for me to write so I’m just going with it. There will only be one more chapter after this!

Stella stared at the items in her hands. In her right was her phone, in the left, the most recent black and white image of her baby. 

She sat cross legged on her bed, trying to build the courage to make the call. She’d been putting it off for months. 

At first she had waited until she had passed twelve weeks. After that she had waited for the results of the genetic testing, it would not only check for potential abnormalities but with the results she would finally know who the father was. 

After the results had come in she had gone into a downward spiral and put off making the call until her next scan. That was today. 

She’d had her mid-pregnancy ultrasound that morning. Her baby was perfect. Completely healthy, growing well and had a strong heartbeat. The doctor was happy with her health too, and so following the appointment she was failing to find a reason not to make the call. 

She bit her lip and scrolled through her contacts until she found the one she was looking for and hit the call button. 

Her heart was racing as she waited for an answer, almost praying she wouldn’t get one. She froze, seconds from hanging up when she heard the familiar greeting. 

“Anderson.”

Tears stung her eyes at the sound of his voice and she cursed her hormones for fucking with her. 

“Tom? It’s Stella Gibson.” Her voice was husky with unshed tears and she cleared her throat quietly. 

“What can I do for you, Ma’am?”

“This isn’t a work call, Tom. You can call me Stella.” She paused and her eyes flitted to the picture of their unborn child. “I have something I need to tell you.”

“Is everything okay?” He was concerned. She could hear it in his voice. It probably wasn’t helping that she couldn’t keep her tears at bay, even if he couldn’t see her. 

She nodded to herself and debated for a moment on how to break the news. But in the end, she’d spoken before she knew she’d opened her mouth. “I’m pregnant.”

There was a pause and she could hear his confusion. “Why are you telling me?”

She sighed and rolled her eyes. “Because it’s your baby.”

Silence. 

She gave him time to process. It was an agonising wait for her but she’d had months to digest the news. 

“Stella, I haven’t seen you in five months. It’s been longer than that since we were together.”

“I know...” her voice was cautious and she closed her eyes waiting for his anger. 

But none came. Instead there was a soft sigh. “How long have you known?”

She’d found out not long after she returned home, barely six weeks pregnant.She told him that, knowing he’d likely be hurt by the response. He was a sensitive soul underneath the determined police officer persona he carried at work. Just like her. 

“Why didn’t you tell me sooner? Were you going to tell me?”

It was Stella’s turn to give a soft sigh. “I’m sorry. I didn’t tell anyone until I was past twelve weeks. Then I spoke to my doctor and we went ahead with some genetic testing, to look for Down’s syndrome and some other conditions. I also had a paternity test done. After that, I panicked. I’m sorry I left you out of the loop but I didn’t want to contact you only for it not to be your baby.”

She could almost see the way he rubbed a hand down his face. “But the baby’s okay? You’re okay?”

“We’re both fine.” Stella beamed. “She’s perfect.”

“It’s a girl?”

“It is.”

Stella felt the tension leave her as their call continued. At one point they’d ended the call so that he could video call her on her laptop instead.

He’d beamed when she sat up to show him her perfectly rounded stomach. They chatted easily, about everything except for the Spector case and she found herself enjoying it. 

That was until he asked the one question she’d been truly dreading. 

“Do you want me to come to London?”

She froze and the comfortable smile dropped from her face. It took him mere seconds to notice. 

“I don’t have to, Stella, but I don’t want you to feel like you’re alone.”

She took a deep breath and one hand came to her stomach in an attempt to soothe herself. The silence between them was thick and she bit her lip. 

“I’m not alone.” She hadn’t been this nervous to tell someone about a relationship since she was a teenager dating her former teacher. “I have a girlfriend.”

It was Tom’s turn to freeze. He hadn’t been expecting her to say that. It wasn’t that he had a problem with it, but to say he was surprised would be an understatement. 

Stella was quick to fill the silence. “Her name is Dana. She’s a doctor at the hospital near my office. We met before I found out about the baby, it was actually her that convinced me to take a test. She’s been amazing. She convinced me to call you today, too. I wanted to tell you but I was... anxious and-"

“What were you worried about?” His gentle voice put a halt to her nervous ramble. “I’d never ask you to do anything you’re not comfortable with... I’d like to know my daughter, Stella. But only as much as you’re willing to let me.”

“I know.” Stella told him softly. “I think I was scared you’d want more than I was able to give. With me. I want her to know you, Tom. It’ll be difficult but we can make it work.”

Stella bit her lip. She wasn’t used to letting her guard down so much, but if she and Tom were ever going to co-parent their daughter successfully she’d have to start. In a way she already had, he’d seen her cry at work before they even slept together, when he did end up in her bed, he stayed there over night, they had breakfast together and she knew at some point or another, he had seen the scars on her thighs. As much as she wanted to protect herself, she knew they had to trust each other. Now more than ever. 

“I’m glad you have someone. She sounds great and you look happy.” 

Stella looked at his image on the laptop screen as relief flooded her. “Thank you.”

He nodded and bid her goodbye. She closed her laptop when the screen went black and let out a long breath. It had gone better than expected but she knew it would likely be a shock to his system when she turned up in Belfast next month at almost eight months pregnant. 

She was just glad he hadn’t pushed her to make any decisions, hadn’t gotten angry at her immediate. There was still time for that and she expected it would come and go quickly as he processed the information she had given him. 

For now though, she was happy to hear the front door close as her girlfriend arrived home for the night. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Seriously let me know what you think because I still have no idea where this came from. I might still delete the whole thing


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so this is the last chapter. It was a lot more difficult to write than the first two and I think it might reflect in the writing. It didn’t go entirely to plan but oh well...
> 
> I added a paragraph near the end of chapter 2 during Stella & Tom’s conversation. It’s not essential to read it but if you want to it’s there...

Tom let his mind wander as he sat in Stella’s living room. Between the time she’d spent in Belfast for Spector’s trial, and the time he’d been in London since, he’d managed to wrap his head around the fact that she was having his baby. It hadn’t truly hit him until he’d arrived at work to see her leaning against a desk, her arms crossed over a large baby bump. 

He’d hated every minute of the trial. It was a given that it wouldn’t be enjoyable, but it was made worse seeing the signs of Stella’s discomfort. She’d struggled being stuck in the rock solid chair for hours, unable to move much and to him it was just another point on Spector’s scoreboard against them. 

He’d tried his best not to be too transparent when it came to looking out for her at work. But despite his best efforts it was obvious that Spector had put two and two together as soon as he saw Stella in the courtroom. 

Spector’s eyes had shone with a barely concealed glee at the discovery and he had spent the rest of Stella’s testimony making eye contact with both her and Tom, a knowing smirk firmly planted on his smug face. 

Shaking all thoughts of Belfast from his mind, Tom looked around. It still hadn’t sunk in that he lived in London now. He’d only been in Stella’s house twice since he accompanied her home after the trial. 

It had surprised Stella when he’d told her of his plans. He’d found a small flat and had put in a transfer to the Met, something he was amazed she hadn’t heard about. He’d assured her that the move was simply to make it easier for him to be a part of their daughter’s life, he didn’t want to get in the way or her relationship or smother her with attempts to support her if she didn’t need or want it. 

A shout from upstairs brought him out of his thoughts and he jumped up from the couch. 

Stella had been having contractions for the better part of the past three days but she’d called him that morning when they’d intensified. Since then, he’d been milling around the house, checking in every so often, allowing her space and conversing quietly with Dana when Stella was asleep

~X~

Stella may never admit it out loud but she felt better knowing that Tom was nearby. Despite the research and her reluctant attendance at birthing classes at Dana’s insistence, she felt wildly unprepared for the imminent birth of her daughter. 

She buried her head in her arms as she knelt on the floor by the bed, trying to resist the urge to vocalise her pain. 

Despite her reservations she was immensely glad in that moment that they were both there. She had struggled sometimes since Tom’s arrival in London. She was an independent person and the pressures of being in a relationship for the first time in a long time, combined with the challenges that came with pregnancy and learning how to open up to both him and Dana had threatened to overwhelm her at times.

It had been hard for her to admit that she needed Dana. It had come close to ending their relationship once or twice when she’d succeeded in pushing the redhead away. The reality was that whether she liked it or not, she had come to rely on her girlfriend over the past few months, more than she was generally comfortable with. But Dana had always been there to patiently remind her that just because she  could get by on her own, it didn’t mean she  had to. 

Stella surprised herself with a long moan of pain, one hand coming to massage the tight muscles of her stomach. “Dana...”

Dana’s brow furrowed as she squatted by Stella’s side. It was the first time the blonde had made any noise, until now she’d been able to breathe through the contractions. She wasn’t surprised when she noticed the blonde’s waters had just broken. 

Stella gasped when barely a minute later another contraction stole her breath. Until now there had been at least five minutes between them. She wordlessly let Dana help her out of her trousers, resigning herself to the fact that this was something she didn’t think she could manage alone. 

She grimaced in discomfort as she leaned forward to allow Dana to check her progress with a clean, gloved hand. 

With yet another contraction she heard Dana call Tom upstairs. She had debated long and hard about whether she wanted Tom to see her in this state. In the end she had swallowed her pride and accepted that he should be there to see his baby born. 

Dana’s hand was gentle on her shoulder as she returned to Stella’s side after quietly talking to Tom. 

“Stella, I don’t think you’re gonna make it to the hospital. Turns out the baby is in more of a hurry than we thought.” She felt Stella tense at the words and squeezed her shoulder. “It’s okay, you have Tom and you have me. And I’ve been on both sides of this before.”

Stella only nodded and groaned in pain, grunting as the contraction ended. 

Dana shot a glance at Tom at the noise. “Are you pushing, Stell?”

Stella managed a deep breath. “I didn’t mean to.”

“It’s okay.” Dana reassured her. “If you feel like you have to, it’s okay.”

They sat back and gave Stella space as she manoeuvred herself back onto her knees, wordlessly reaching for Tom. 

He moved in front of her and allowed her to bury her face in his shoulder as her arms looped around his neck. His hands fell to her sides, rubbing soothing circles against her tense muscles. 

Dana placed herself behind Stella, a bundle of supplies to her right and a clean pair of gloves on her hands. She bit back a noise of surprise when Stella pushed again and she caught a glimpse of the baby’s head already. 

Even though she currently felt like she had crumpled into Tom’s embrace, Stella was grateful to both him and Dana for the way they seemed to be allowing her to take care of herself. She knew they were both there for when she needed them. 

She let out a strangled cry at the burn she felt between her legs, vaguely aware of Dana saying something about the baby’s head. 

“I need you to keep breathing, Stell.” Dana told her with a kind but firm voice. 

Stella let out the breath she didn’t realise she was still holding, barely registering whatever Dana was telling her now. 

“You’ve got this. Her head is out already.” It was Tom’s voice that cut through the white noise of pain and exhaustion and she lifted her her to look up at him as he spoke again. “It won’t be long now. You’re amazing.”

Stella was taken aback by the emotion in his voice but didn’t have long to focus on it as she pushed again on the next contraction. She felt Dana guide one of the baby’s shoulders out and she gritted her teeth against the pain of another push. 

“One more and you’ll have your baby girl.” Dana told her with a smile. 

When Stella collapsed against Tom’s chest, her breath caught in her throat at the tiny cry that filled the room. Her eyes burned with tears as Tom carefully helped her turn around to lie against his chest. 

“Oh my god.” Her voice was barely a whisper as Dana placed the tiny squirming baby on her chest and covered them both with a soft bath towel. 

Dana sat back as she watched Stella gaze at her baby. It was a sight she’d seen a million times, a new mother wrapped in her partner’s arms as they laid eyes on their child for the first time. She never felt like the outsider, simply part of a team who had brought a new family together. But this was different. She was the third wheel in this scenario, even if Stella and Tom weren’t a couple, they were now bound together for life by the tiny being she’d just guided into the world. 

~X~

An hour later, Stella was curled up in bed, napping while her daughter slept. Tom was in the chair, his baby nestled carefully in his arms. 

He glanced at Stella and confident that she was fast asleep, stood and left the room in search of Dana. 

He found her in the living room, nursing a cup of tea, her eyes red from crying. She jumped at the sound of his footsteps and quickly tried to dry her cheeks. 

“Hey. How are they?” Dana asked quietly. 

“Stella is out cold. I don’t think a bomb could wake her right now. And this little one is also asleep.” Tom answered as he sat on the couch beside the doctor. “You okay?”

“Just brought back some memories.” Dana nodded. She looked between Tom and the baby. “I don’t know if she looks more like you or Stella.”

“Here.” Tom said nothing else as he cautiously deposited the baby in Dana’s arms. He wasn’t surprised when her eyes flooded with tears. He took a deep breath and looked at the pair beside him. “I don’t know you very well, and I don’t know your past. But I do know that Stella loves you, whether she’s said it or not yet. You’re going to be a huge part of this kid’s life. It might be difficult at first, I don’t want to get in the way of your relationship with Stella, you don’t want to get in the way of my relationship with the baby. But I’m confident that with some time we’ll work it out.”

Dana turned to him with a tearful smile, suddenly feeling very vulnerable. “I had a son. Years and years ago. I had to place him for adoption when he was nine months old. I had a dangerous job and I couldn’t keep him safe anymore.”

Tom sighed sadly as he realised why Dana had made such a quick getaway after taking care of Stella. “You did what you thought was best. You put his safety before your own pain, as any good mother should. And I’m sure you’d do the same for Stella and this baby if you had to.”

Their conversation was brought to an abrupt end by the baby waking up and Dana had to admit she was grateful. 

“Come on, little one. Let’s go find your mama.” Dana said quietly as she stood. She faltered in the doorway and looked back at Tom. “Thank you.”

By the time she reached the bedroom, the sound of the baby’s cries had roused Stella from her slumber. 

The blonde smiled at the sight of her girlfriend and her daughter as Dana sat down on the bed and handed the baby over. 

With the baby feeding happily, Stella relaxed back against the headboard and brought her free hand to brush Dana’s hair behind her ear. 

“Thank you, for letting me be a part of your family.” Dana said softly. 

Stella smiled at her. “Thank you for standing by me. And for not running a mile when I found out I was pregnant... I love you, Dana.”

Dana’s heart shattered at the words. “I love you, too.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This wasn’t exactly what I had in mind when I started writing this chapter, but in the end it was harder than expected so it is what it is... I might edit it eventually but for now it’s done. 
> 
> Thank you for reading, please let me know your thoughts, good, bad or brutally honest :D

**Author's Note:**

> Congratulations for reaching the end of whatever this is. Lemme know your thoughts, even if this disgusted you I wanna know!


End file.
